The New Jersey Devils continue to fly close to the sun, narrowly avoiding disaster in Vancouver to win their fourth of five games. They’re on to Leg 2 of their four-game west-coast trek tonight as -155 favorites against the Seattle Kraken in the NHL odds.
Seattle is reeling right now, having lost five straight, with just a single point to show for it. The Kraken are tied for the third-fewest wins in the West, but can they upend the surging Devils? Read below for my free NHL picks for Thursday, December 7.
Devils vs Kraken odds
Devils vs Kraken predictions
What looked like a runaway win in Vancouver turned into near disaster, as the Devils watched a 5-2 lead evaporate in the third period to the Canucks. They were able to land the plane, however, as Jesper Bratt’s goal with 34 seconds remaining helped them escape with a 6-5 win.
Such is the life of the Devils, who are the fourth-highest scoring team in the NHL at 3.70 goals per game, but also rank second-worst in the league in goals allowed per game at 3.78. That’s a big part of the reason they’re sixth in the Metropolitan Division, and fifth in the chase for one of the two playoff Wild Card spots in the East.
The Devils’ defensive woes are a welcome sight for the Kraken, who have scored just nine goals during this five-game slide for a paltry 1.8 goals per game average. Seattle wrapped up their four game road trip the way they had every stop, with an L, this one a 4-2 drubbing at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens.
It’s actually been a Kraken power outage all year, as they rank 29th in league scoring at just 2.65 goals per game. That’s not a good combination when you’re also a Bottom-10 team in scoring defense, surrendering 3.42 goals per game.
The Kraken might have just eight wins, but they have some notable ones. Save for a victory over the bottom-feeding Sharks, five wins have come against a team currently in playoff position, and two others are against teams just outside Wild Card positioning.
New Jersey has yet to win three straight road games all year, while the Kraken have won nine of their last 10 home games against Metropolitan Division opponents. This will be the first of two meetings between these teams this year and just the fifth all time, with each team taking two wins, and the home team winning every contest.
It’s not a bad stop to be thinking upset.
My best bet: Kraken moneyline (+125 at SIA)
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Devils vs Kraken same-game parlay
Kraken moneyline
Over 1.5 first-period goals
Jack Hughes anytime goal
If there’s one place the good times should keep on rolling, it’s the first period of Devils games.
There was no shortage of offense last time out for the Devils, who combined with the Canucks for six goals in the first 20 minutes and built a 4-2 lead.
That’s now the ninth straight New Jersey game where the teams have combined for more than 1.5 goals in the first period, and 12 of the last 13. In fact, the Devils and their opponent have scored at least three goals in the first period in six of those contests. That’s why we’re targeting the Over 1.5 goal opening frame total as part of our same game parlay.
We’ll stick with red-hot Jack Hughes to close it out. He's coming off a three-point night against the Canucks, which included his 10th goal of the campaign.
Hughes is ninth in league scoring, and he’s now ripped the mesh in four straight games, his longest goal streak this season. He’s a key piece of the Devils’ top-ranked powerplay, just another chance to pick up a goal when going against a Seattle penalty kill that’s ninth-worst in the NHL.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Devils vs Kraken moneyline and Over/Under analysis
New Jersey has climbed to as high as a -163 favorite in the moneyline odds, while the Kraken have been as short as +100, though books have them listed as long as +136.
New Jersey has a respectable 7-4-0 road record, one of only five teams in the East to crack the seven-win mark. Seattle has as many home wins as road wins (four), and only the Blackhawks and Sharks have fewer home wins in the West.
The goal total has not dipped below six, with most books settling in at 6.5 goals.
With their win against Vancouver, the Over is now 17-5-0 in Devils games, while the Over has gone 13-10-3 in Seattle games this year.
Devils vs Kraken betting trend to know
The Devils are 5-17-0 against the spread this season, tied for the worst record in the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Find more NHL betting trends for Devils vs. Kraken.
Devils vs Kraken game info
| Location: | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA |
| Date: | Thursday, December 7, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
Devils vs Kraken latest injuries
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